Cookies on the Arsenal WebsiteWe use cookies to improve your browsing experience and help us improve our websites. For more information, please click here. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our use of such cookies.

Wenger - Only we could have tempted Jens

Arsène Wenger believes that only Arsenal could have lured Jens Lehmann out of retirement.

The 41-year-old keeper completed a surprise return to Emirates Stadium on Thursday after a spate of injuries meant the title-chasers needed cover.

Of course, the German will always be an ‘Invincible’ after helping his side to the title in the unbeaten season of 2004. And, it was that winning mentality and Lehmann’s unwavering passion for the Club which brought the deal together.

“We have Wojciech Szczesny out for six weeks, we have Vito Mannone out for six weeks and we have Lukasz Fabianski out for the rest of the season,” said Wenger.

“That means we have no cover with any experience at all in the Premier League so I wanted to get Jens back and to give us some.

“When you are in March and you are looking for an available goalkeeper who can help you do not have much choice, of course. But we kept in touch through our goalkeeper coach and Jens was still an Arsenal supporter. He accepted to do it and certainly it is the only place where he would do that.

“I am happy about it because when Jens is in training he is as motivated as ever. You know him, I know him and he will help the team if he has to play or just on a daily basis.

“His huge motivational level and experience will be vitally important.”

Copyright 2015 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source17 Mar 2011

Please ensure that you enter your parents email address and click here to review our privacy policy for those who are under 13. Please note that an email address can only be used once to register as a Digital Member so you cannot register for both an adult and junior membership under the same email address.

Mobile Number

* Country

Language Preference

* Postcode

* Email Address

* Confirm Email Address

* Password

* Confirm Password

Get all the news from Arsenal.com

Manager's Email and Weekly E-Newsletter (only in English)I would like to receive the weekly Manager's and Arsenal's e-newsletters and other information about offerings from The Arsenal Football Club Plc by post, email and SMS.

Club Offers and Information (only in English)I would like to receive ticket updates, membership notifications and details of other offers and information relating to The Arsenal Football Club Plc and its group companies from time to time ("Arsenal") by post, email and SMS.

Offers and Information About Our Partners and Sponsors (only in English)I would like to receive offers and information about carefully selected third parties, including partners and sponsors, from Arsenal by post, email and SMS.